Electrodes, batteries, electrode production methods, and production methods

ABSTRACT

Battery electrodes are provided that can include a conductive core supported by a polymeric frame. Methods for manufacturing battery electrodes are provided that can include: providing a sheet of conductive material; and framing the sheet of conductive material with a polymeric material. Batteries are provided that can include a plurality of electrodes, with individual ones of the electrodes comprising a conductive core supported by a polymeric frame.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationSer. No. 61/617,200 which was filed on Mar. 29, 2012, the entirety ofwhich is incorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to electrodes, batteries, electrodeproduction methods, and battery production methods. In more particularembodiments the disclosure relates to Rechargeable Batteries, Lead-AcidBatteries, Battery Components, and Battery Methods. Particularembodiments of the disclosure relate to novel electrode constructionsand/or methods of manufacturing electrodes.

BACKGROUND

Rechargeable batteries such as lead-acid batteries can include one ormore cathodic electrodes that may be constructed by casting lead,expanding lead sheet, or creating a lead alloy foil with punched gridpattern. Typically the cathodic electrode is comprised of 100% lead orlead alloy. Rechargeable batteries such as lead-acid batteries also caninclude one or more anodic electrodes that utilize a lead oxide, orderivative, pasted onto a traditional lead battery electrode substrate.

SUMMARY

The electrodes of the present disclosure can be configured to beutilized in standard lead acid battery manufacturing processes andequipment.

The present disclosure provides low cost, light weight, and advancedbattery electrodes for use in lead acid batteries. The electrodes may beutilized as a negative electrode and can provide for improvednegative-active-material utilization, more uniform current distribution,and enhanced cycle life performance.

Battery electrodes are provided that can include a conductive coresupported by a polymeric frame.

Methods for manufacturing battery electrodes are provided that caninclude: providing a sheet of conductive material; and framing the sheetof conductive material with a polymeric material.

Batteries are provided that can include a plurality of electrodes, withindividual ones of the electrodes comprising a conductive core supportedby a polymeric frame.

DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the disclosure are described below with reference to thefollowing accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a fragment of an electrode according to a process of thedisclosure.

FIG. 2 is an electrode substrate according to an embodiment of thedisclosure.

FIG. 2A is a cross section of the electrode of FIG. 2 according to anembodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is an electrode substrate according to an embodiment of thedisclosure.

FIG. 3A is a cross section of the electrode of FIG. 3 according to anembodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is an electrode substrate according to an embodiment of thedisclosure.

FIG. 4A is a cross section of the electrode of FIG. 4 according to anembodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is an electrode substrate according to an embodiment of thedisclosure.

FIG. 6 is a portion of an electrode substrate according to an embodimentof the disclosure.

FIG. 7 is an electrode substrate according to an embodiment of thedisclosure.

FIG. 7A is a section of the electrode substrate of FIG. 7 according toan embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a portion of an electrode substrate according to an embodimentof the disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a section of an electrode substrate according to an embodimentof the disclosure.

FIG. 10 is a battery including electrodes according to an embodiment ofthe disclosure.

DESCRIPTION

This disclosure is submitted in furtherance of the constitutionalpurposes of the U.S. Patent Laws “to promote the progress of science anduseful arts” (Article 1, Section 8).

The electrodes, batteries, electrode production methods, batteryproduction methods, rechargeable batteries, lead acid batteries, batterycomponents, and battery methods of the disclosure will be described withreference to FIGS. 1-10.

Referring first to FIG. 1, an example portion of an electrode of thepresent disclosure is shown at stages of processing according to anembodiment of the disclosure. Accordingly, a method for manufacturing abattery electrode is provided that can include providing a sheet ofconductive material 2. Material 2 can be a sheet, extruded, diecast, orthixomolded as well of electrically conductive metals or alloy of thesame.

Material 2 can have another material 4 applied thereto. Material 4 canprovide an acid protective barrier to material 2. Material 4 can beinert to acid solutions such as those used for lead/acid batteries.Material 4 can be a lead material such as electroplated lead. Material 4can be a conductive ink or polymer that is inert to acid for example.Material 4 can provide a homogeneous coating of sufficient thickness toprevent molecules of the conductive metals from migrating into the acidelectrolyte of a lead/acid battery. Material 4 can provide a homogeneousacid protective barrier over the conductive material 2. As a polymer,material 4 may also provide structural or architectural support. One orboth of the materials 2 and/or 4 can then be framed with a polymericmaterial 6.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 2A, a component of a battery is depicted aselectrode substrate 12 and a cross section of same is shown in FIG. 2A.This substrate can be a three-dimensional structure that may be stampmolded, injection molded, and/or otherwise fashioned to a finalgeometric shape as desired. The substrate can be substantially planarhaving planar side 13 and edge 15, for example. Substrate 12 can vary inshape as desirable and may be dependent upon the final battery design.As shown, substrate 12 does not include a tab or post, but otherembodiments may include same as well as other features that mayfacilitate production and/or use.

Substrate 12 can be described to have at least two portions with one ofthe two portions being configured to extend into battery solute and thesecond of the two portions being configured to reside outside thebattery solute such as one or more tabs 52 that may be configured tocouple to a connecting post, for example (see, e.g., FIGS. 5-8).Accordingly, methods for production of the electrodes can includeforming a contact tab 52 along an edge of the sheet of conductivematerial 18, for example. The contact tab may be at least partiallyencased with the polymeric material 22. The tab location, size and/orshape may change commensurate with battery design as desired. Thesubstrate or portions thereof, particularly the portion within thebattery solute may be inert wherein it may be inert to conditionstypically present in batteries, such as, for example, current flows,heat, dissipation of heat, and/or acidic conditions relating to thebattery solute, for example.

Substrate 12 may include recesses such as openings 14. Openings 14 maybe spaced randomly throughout substrate 12 and may be utilized as asupport feature to facilitate the binding of materials such as leadpaste material to substrate 12 at a later stage of electrode preparationprocessing. Openings 14 can have sidewalls 17 extending between planarsurfaces 13 of electrode 12, for example. At least a portion of thesidewalls 17 and surfaces 13 can be considered edges of the openings 14and these edges may be angled and/or beveled, for example. Accordingly,methods for producing electrodes can include providing a plurality ofopenings within the sheet of conductive material 18.

In accordance with example implementations, substrate 12 may haveopenings therein, or it may not have openings therein. Where openingsare present, the electrode may include additional materials in the formof layers and/or lines deposited and/or etched thereon. These materialsmay extend via the openings between opposing surfaces of the substrate.For example, materials, such as conductive materials, lead oxide, and/orlead paste materials may be associated with planar surfaces (sides) 13as well as sidewalls 17. In accordance with example implementations, oneor more of these materials may extend through openings 14 closingopening 14. For example, lead paste material can extend through opening14 effectively closing opening 14. In accordance with other embodiments,lead paste material may extend through opening 14 leaving access throughopening 14, for example.

In accordance with an example embodiment, substrate 12 can include acore member 18 of conductive material. Accordingly, the electrode caninclude a conductive core supported by a polymeric frame. Thisconductive material can be copper, aluminum, and/or magnesium in theform of a sheet, for example. Member 18 can be as thin as about 0.004inches or from about 0.006 inches to about 0.010 inches thick and/or maybe at least about 0.016 inches thick. The sheet can be punched or coinedto provide three dimensional shapes as desired. Member 18 may have aflat or planar surface as well. In accordance with exampleimplementations, member 18 may also be a conductive material other thanlead, for example, copper, aluminum, silver, gold, nickel, magnesium,and/or alloys of same.

Lead material 19 may be provided over member 18, for example. Material19 is shown associated with both sides of member 18. Material 19 may beprovided to cover and/or encase member 18. Material 19 can be one ormore of a substantially pure lead material, lead oxide material, and/orlead alloy material. Alloys of the lead material can include tin alloys,for example. Accordingly, the conductive core can include leadelectroplated copper. The lead electroplated copper of the conductivecore can be comprised by a sheet being at least about 0.018 inches thickin one cross section. According to other examples, the sheet can be fromabout 0.019 to about 0.021 inches thick in the one cross section.

Polymeric material 22 can be provided to one or both of member 18 andmaterial 19. Material 22 can include one or more polymeric materialsthat are inert to acidic conditions such as those that exist in abattery. Polyolefins, polycarbonates, polypropylene, and/orfluoropolymers may be utilized. In accordance with exampleimplementations, material 22 may be overmolded onto one or both ofmember 18 and material 19. According to an example aspect, theovermolding may provide material 22 in sufficient amount to support thestructural integrity of member 18 and material 19, keeping both thesecomponents in a substantially planar form.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 3A, in accordance with an alternativeembodiment, substrate 12A is provided to include a support structure forlead paste. Material 22 can be further overmolded to support one or bothof member 18 and material 19 as well as form a lattice structure. Thislattice structure can be configured to support lead paste, theapplication of which can form a completed electrode. As shown thelattice structure is in a “diamond” formation, however other formationsare contemplated, including but not limited to, horizontal/verticalsupports.

As discussed, lead paste material can be associated with and/orsupported by substrate 12 and/or 12A. The lead paste material may coverall or a portion of the substrate and it may cover all or a portion oflead material 19 encasing member 18 where applied. The lead pastematerial can be applied to both sides of the substrate. In accordancewith example implementations, this application may be to only one side.

The substrate may have one or more recesses such as openings extendingthere through. These recesses such as openings can be filled with thelead paste material and extend through the openings leaving at least aportion of the openings clear, or for example, completely close theopenings. The formulation of this lead paste material is known topersons of ordinary skill in the art of lead-acid battery production andis not critical to the present disclosure. The lead paste material mayinclude additives, for example, that can be used to increase surfacearea. In accordance with example configurations, lead paste material canbe considered porous when compared to the lead material described above.The substantially pure lead, lead oxide and/or lead alloys of the leadmaterial can be substantially homogenous thereby preventing batterysolutes from contacting the conductive material.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 4A, in accordance with yet another embodiment,member 38, as described above, can be completely overmolded with aconductive yet acidic inert polymeric material 42. Material 42 can be apolymeric material that includes carbon for example, giving the materialsome conductivity. Material 42 can be overmolded onto member 38 tosupport member 38 as well as provide support for lead paste materialdescribed. Such support structures can include but are not limited toindentations and/or extensions. Substrate 30 can include a planarsurface 33 as well as openings 34.

Referring to FIG. 5, another example substrate 50 is depicted thatincludes tab 52 as well as lug 54. Tab 52 can be an extension of themember of substrate 50 and can be utilized as a post of the completedelectrode. Lug 54 can be an extension of the polymeric material and canbe used during the processing phase and removed before use as anelectrode, for example. Accordingly, methods of forming the electrodescan include forming a polymeric tab along at least one edge of frameand/or include forming a contact tab along and at least one opposingedge of the frame. Processing the electrode can include conveying theelectrode using the polymeric tab and/or contact tab as dogs.

Referring to FIG. 6, a detailed depiction of conductive material 2 isshown as a sheet of copper. In accordance with example implementations,material 2 can have openings 14 therein as well as tab 52. Referring toFIGS. 7 and 7A material 2 is shown at another stage of processing.Accordingly, the electrode includes polymeric material frame 6encompassing conductive core 2. Referring to FIG. 7A, a section of theelectrode is shown to detail perimeter opening sizing differences, suchas opening 72. These differences may be exploited to assist withelectroplating of material 2, for example. Some perimeter openings 71can have a diameter of about 0.062 inches while other openings can havea diameter of about 0.075 inches. Material 6 can be provided to extendoutwardly from the larger openings, such as 72 for example. Referring toFIG. 8, a more detailed view of tab 52 at least partially encased inmaterial 2 is shown.

Referring to FIG. 9 an example electrode fragment is shown todemonstrate the overall thickness and contribution of this thickness ofthe various materials. Accordingly, conductive material 2 may have athickness of from about 0.014 to about 0.016 inches and lead material 4can have a thickness of about 0.001 inches, giving the combination ofconductive material 2 (0.016) and lead material and overall thickness ofabout 0.018 inches. Lead paste material 8 can be provided to theelectrode to a thickness of from about 0.020 to about 0.025 inchesgiving an overall thickness of the electrode of about 0.058 inches.Accordingly to example embodiments, this electrode thickness has neverbeen operatively achieved and substantially changes the overall weightand/or performance of the battery using one or more of these electrodes.

Referring to FIG. 10, an example battery 60 is shown that includes aplurality of electrodes 62. One or more of the electrodes 62 can beconfigured as described herein. Batteries described herein can includeflat-plate, tubular, circular, and/or bi-polar batteries. The batterycan be at least one of a plurality of batteries within a bank ofbatteries, for example. As another example, the battery can beconfigured as a bank of individual batteries. In accordance with exampleimplementations, storing electricity within these batteries can includeproviding electrical current to the battery. The battery can have anelectrode that is both inert to the battery solute and includenon-conductive material. The electrical current can be provided to oneor more post components in electrical communication with one or more ofthe plurality of electrodes of like polarity. The battery can include aplurality of electrodes, individual ones of the electrodes including aconductive core supported by a polymeric frame. At least one of theseelectrodes can define a conductive tab electrically coupled to theconductive core.

In compliance with the statute, embodiments of the invention have beendescribed in language more or less specific as to structural andmethodical features. It is to be understood, however, that the entireinvention is not limited to the specific features and/or embodimentsshown and/or described, since the disclosed embodiments comprise formsof putting the invention into effect.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A lead/acid battery electrode comprising: asingle planar conductive core member defining a tab and having opposingsurfaces bounded by edges defining the outer perimeter around the coremember, the opposing surfaces configured to receive lead paste; and apolymeric frame supporting the core member in the planar state, theframe comprising a single removable lug, the frame being coupled to theedges and extending about the entirety of the core member perimeter andabout a portion of the tab; wherein the tab and the single removable lugare axially aligned along a planar direction of the core member.
 2. Thelead/acid battery electrode of claim 1 wherein the single planarconductive core member comprises copper.
 3. The lead/acid batteryelectrode of claim 2 wherein the copper of the single planar conductivecore member is at least about 0.016 inches thick between the opposingsurfaces.
 4. The lead/acid battery electrode of claim 1 wherein thesingle planar conductive core member comprises lead electroplatedcopper.
 5. The lead/acid battery electrode of claim 4 wherein the leadelectroplated copper of the single planar conductive core member is atleast about 0.018 inches thick between the opposing surfaces.
 6. Thelead/acid battery electrode of claim 5 wherein the single planarconductive core member is from about 0.019 to about 0.021 inches thickbetween the opposing surfaces.
 7. The lead/acid battery electrode ofclaim 1 further comprising a lead paste extending between the polymericframe and upon the surfaces of the single planar conductive core member.8. The lead/acid battery electrode of claim 1 further comprisingopenings extending through the single planar conductive core member. 9.The lead/acid battery electrode of claim 1 wherein the polymeric framecomprises polypropylene.
 10. The lead/acid battery electrode of claim 1wherein the polymeric frame is overmolded to further define continuousinterior edges extending substantially normally from both of thesurfaces of the single planar conductive core member.
 11. The lead/acidbattery electrode of claim 10 further comprising lead paste extendingupon the surfaces of the single planar conductive core member andbetween the interior edges of the polymeric frame.
 12. The lead/acidbattery electrode of claim 1 wherein the overall thickness is less than0.058 inches.
 13. The lead/acid battery electrode of claim 1 wherein thetab and/or lug are coplanar with the single planar conductive coremember.
 14. The lead/acid battery electrode of claim 1 wherein the tabis an extension of the conductive core.
 15. The lead/acid batteryelectrode of claim 14 wherein the polymeric frame extends about an outerperimeter of the tab.